Apparatus for recovering zinc or other sulfids from their ores.



PATENTED JAN.1'7, 1905.

' J. H GI'LLIES. APPARATUS FOR REGOVERING ZINC OR OTHER SULFIDS FROMTHEIR 0115s.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8.1904.

STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING ZINC OR OTHER SULFIDS FROM THEIR ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,281, dated January17, 1905.

Application filed September 8, 1904. Serial No. 228,721.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES HYNDES GILLms, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and lreland, residing at No. 454 Collins street, Melbourne, inthe State of Victoria, Australia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Recovering Zinc or other Sulfide fromTheir Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has been devised to provide apparatus which willeconomically and efiiciently win or recover the floating sullids of zincand other metals when the same are beu mg treated by what is known asthe wet or chemical process, in which acids or saline solutions areemployed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, reference maybe made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectionalelevation of my apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan view of same with baliie andsupport and hood removed, while Fig. 3 shows a detail of the apparatus;and Fig. 4 is a partial horizontal section through the catchment-chutes.

In the drawings, A represents a receptacle or receiver, preferablycircular in shape and tapering to the bottom. The receptacle is providedwith a central escapement-channel B,

preferably also circular in shape, and COIIHDLP n1cat1ng w1th suchcentral escapement-ehannel is a complete system of inclinedcatchmentchutes O, each of such chutes formed somewhat in a V shape withone of the members, C, of the V slightly deeper than the other, C. (SeeFig. 3.) ranged so that it slightly overlaps the shallower member O ofthe next chute, but with a small distance between same. being radiallyarranged in the circular inclined arrangement are so set that when theore is fed into the receptacle A (which latter contains the liquidchemical for its treatment) particles of pulverized ore will by reasonof gaseous adhesion rise between the chutes O toward the surface in Aand be caught over the lower edges of the ll-shaped catchmentchutes. Thechutes C are placed at an incline The deeper member C is ar-l Thesechutes toward the center, so that the metallic particles (sullids) willfind their way along such chute downwardly t0 the centralescapementchannel B, whence they will be run oil to the collecting-vat Dfor further treatment by any approved process preparatory to smelting.The tailings containing the mineral snltids agitates down the slope ofthe tapering vessel (about forty-five degrees) from step to step E andfinds its way out at the bottom circular channel at E, where it meetsincoming cold liquid supplied by inlet-pipe Gr. l/Vhile the metallicparticles are rising up to the catchment-chutes C, hereinbeforementioned, the drossy matters may escape at the bottom in the followingmanner: The cold chemical liquid enters the vat at or near the bottom,so that the concentrates, on the one hand, from the channel B and theresidual sand or drossy matter, on the other hand, in the channel F sinkto the bottom and fall into the colder liquid continuously coming in bythe respective branch pipes H and (at, and such liquid and theconcentrates and the residual sandy dross respectively escape throughpipes at the bottom of the said receptacle and preferably directly underthe inlet liquid-chemical pipes. The theory of this arrangement is thatthe heated liquid in the higher portions of the receptacle A is notbeing constantly reduced in temperature by the incoming liquids at H andG, but that as an equivalent amount of cold liquid is entering near thebottom to that running away at the bottom the level of the heated liquidin the receptacle A is not interfered with. It will thus be seen thatpractically speaking the incoming and outgoing cold liquid will notaffect the chemical liquid which has been heated in the upper portion ofthe receptacle. In order to keep the liquid chemical at an approximately constant level, I employ a balland-cock arrangement in asmall additional chamber 1, the latter being in open connection with theliquid in the treating-vat A by means of pipe J. The ball governing acock 1 controls the feed of the cold chemical fluid from the supply-tankabove to the inlet or inlets at the bottom, as aforesaid.

I would point out that the employment of the apparatus I have describedwill obviate to a considerable extent the necessity of usingcorrespondingly-high degrees of temperature in the heating appliance inorder to make good the loss of heat under present circumstances causedby the escape of hot chemical liquid from the bottom of the receptaclewith the concentrates or residual sandy dross, respectively. As theheating of the chemical liquids to an unnecessarily high temperatureunder the present system causes the receptacle, and especially itsheating portions, to be more easily attacked by the corrosive action ofthe said chemical fluids, it follows that it is desirable to employ suchheating systems to the least possible degree of temperature.

Referring to the outlet-pipes K and L, respectively, at the bottom ofthe receptacle A, their openings leading from the receptacle should beof less diameter than their lower portions that is to say, such openingsshould slightly dilate into pipes of larger diameter after they leavethe said receptacle in order that any concentrates in the one or drossymatter in the other once entering into its respective pipe will notclog, but will, on the contrary, flow away the more freely as it passesalong the said dilated or tapered .portions into its main leadaway-pipeto its tank D or M.

Around the body of the receptacle or alternatively within its interioris arranged any approved heating device, so that the chemical liquid inthe said vat may be heated to the degree of temperature necessary forits function. Said heating arrangement may be in some cases done bydirect fire heat around the receptacle or pan or alternatively by steamjacket or coils.

Returning to the steps E, these can be formed by a separate plate ofmetal and act as a jacket within which steam heat may circulate to heatthe chemical liquid in A. The function of the steps E is to cause thetailings to fall and be the more subject to the chemical action of theliquid in A.

N is a hood for distributing the supply of pulverized material in aneven manner 'into the circular margin of A. The hood N is provided withan open leadaway pipe or flue O to convey away any steam that maycollect in N from the workings of A.

A combination circular bafiie and support P is placed so as to cover thetop of the chutes, the function of said baffle and support being tocontinue the direction of the ore from the hood N to a point below thesurface of the solution immediately above the outer circle of the firststep. This device also forms an end to the radial chutes. The underneathsurface of the baflie and support serves to direct the sulfids actedupon by the solution immediately beneath it to a point, so thatwhentomatically discharge the same, said catch mentchutes being so arrangedthat each slightly overlaps its neighbor on one side, a centralescapement-channel into which said particles fall, and means forremoving said particles from said channel.

2. In an apparatus for recovering zinc and other sulfids from their oresby the wet or chemical process and in combination, a receptacle, aseries of radial overlapping inclined V-shaped catchment-chutes, acentral receiving-channel, a leadaway-pipe for the sulfids, anescapement for the drossy matters, a coldliquid-inlet pipe placed abovethe same andan outer receptacle to which heat may be applied.

3. In an apparatus forrecovering zinc and other sulfids from their oresby the wet or chemical process and in combination, a receptacle, aseries of V-shaped overlapping inclined catchment-chutes, a centralescapement for thesulfids, an escapement for the drossy matters at thebottom of said receptacle, and an inlet-pipe in close proximity to thebottom of said receptacle for the supply of cold liquid thereto.

4. In an apparatus for recovering zinc and other sulfids from their oresby the wet or chemical process and in combination, a receptacle to whichheat is applied and having a series of steps on its interior, a seriesof V -shaped overlapping inclined catchmentchutes, a central escapementfor the sulfids, an escapement for the drossy matters at the bottom ofthe said receptacle and an inlet-pipe in close proximity to the bottomof said receptacle for the supply of cold liquid thereto.

5. In an apparatus for recovering zinc and other sulfids from their oresby the wet or chemical process and in combination, a receptacle, afloating ball-and-cock arrangement governed by the liquid-level in thereceptacle, means for supplying cold liquid through the medium of saidball-and-cOck arrangement to the lower part of the said receptacle forleading away the drossy matters and the sulfids respectively to theirdestinations, a series of V -shaped overlapping inclinedcatchmentchutes, a series of steps behind which heat may be applied, ahood for supplying pulverized material into the circular margin of thereceptacle, means for leading away any steam and gases that may ariseduring the Working of the apparatus, and a circular baffle to as sist indirecting the pulverized ore from the hood to a point below the surfaceof the solu tion contained in the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification in thepresence of two I0 subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES HYNDES GILLIES. Witnesses:

A, O. SAciIsE, A. HARKER.

